Lawrence Allen Hall was born on Aug. 24, 1873 in Nicolay, Fayette County, PA, the son of Winfield S. and Mary (Hyatt) Hall and grandson of Joseph and Elizabeth Hall and stepson of Elizabeth (Rowan) Hall of Nicolay. 

He was a boy of eight when his mother died, and his father later remarried to Josephine Minerd. 

At the age of 25, Lawrence married 24-year-old Mary A. Cramer (July 5, 1874-1967). The ceremony took place in Somerset, Somerset County, PA on Sept. 27, 1898. Rev. Jeru Mullendore performed the nuptials. Lawrence was of medium height and build, with grey eyes and dark hair.

Mary was a resident of New Lexington/Middlecreek, Somerset County, and the daughter of Samuel/Simon and Rosa "Rosie" (Knight) Cramer. At the time of marriage, Lawrence was a farmer and Mary a teacher.

The Halls produced three children -- Forrest L. Hall, Rosalyn W. Speicher and Miriam Kathryn Kincaid. 

Confluence Park, site of the 1924 Minerd Reunion

Lawrence was a longtime dairy farmer and a member of the local grange. When he registered for the military draft during World War I, Lawrence gave his age as 45, his next of kin as Mary, and reported that he was a self-employed farmer.

He was president of the school board of directors for the Mt. Union Public School in Upper Turkeyfoot Township circa 1914-1915. Frank M. Stoner was teacher of the school, with Professor D.W. Seibert as county superintendent of schools. Also serving on the board were D.F. Shultz (secretary), P.A. Kreger, H.G. King and Lee May. (Today, he is honored for this service in a display at the historic Mt. Union Church near Casselman.) 

In August 1924, the Halls attended the Minerd-Miner reunion at Lincoln's grove, near the Western Maryland Railroad Station in Confluence. Their names were mentioned in an article about the reunion in the Meyersdale Republican newspaper. Lawrence also helped organize the Minerd-Miner Reunion of 1928 at Confluence, Somerset County, an event that a newspaper said "was well attended and all report a very enjoyable time."

The Halls were longtime members of the First Christian Church of Somerset. Later in life, they moved into the town of Somerset, with an address of 431 West Union Street.

Burdened with diabetes, heart decomposition and hardening of the arteries, Lawrence passed away at the age of 83 on March 31, 1955. 

Mary outlived him by 12 years. She suffered a heart attack and was admitted to Somerset Community Hospital, where she died at the age of 93 on Sept. 21, 1967. They are buried beside Lawrence's parents in Kingwood.

Forrest Hall

~ Son Forrest L. Hall ~

Son Forrest L. Hall (1896-1997) was born on May 10, 1896. 

He a well known school teacher and country store owner in Kingwood. 

He married Olive F. Dumbauld (1900-1991), the daughter of George and Ellen (Faidley) Dumbauld, of the family of Christina (Younkin) Dull.

They had two sons -- an unnamed infant, who died at birth in 1920; and Paul B. Hall. 

Olive was a "lifelong member of the Kingwood Church of God, where she taught Bible School," said the Somerset Daily American. "Her favorite love was being a wife, homemaker and mother. She also taught one year in the public school system. She worked many years in the family country store in Kingwood."

Forrest greets neighbor Minnie Gary, introducing her to long-lost cousins  -- more

Odd Fellows Cemetery, Kingwood

One hot summer afternoon in 1978, Forrest was relaxing at home when a family of Miner from Pittsburgh knocked at his door, asking for information about family history and local sites. He unselfishly took them to see several old nearby cemeteries -- the old Christian Church of Turkeyfoot burying ground; and the Younkin Cemetery at Paddytown, where members of the Minerd-Miner family are buried. He also took the Miners to meet a neighbor, Minnie (Miner) Gary, who invited the group into her home to talk for a spell. 

Forrest, August 1978

This remarkable show of interest and hospitality was a strong influence on one of the visitors, 17-year-old Mark Miner, who later founded this website. 

Olive passed away on June 21, 1991, at the age of 90. 

Forrest outlived her by six years, and spent his winters in Arizona at the home of his son. In 1992, Forrest graciously allowed Mark Miner to visit again, and to spend several hours tape-recording his conversation of memories. 

He died in Scottsdale, Maricopa County, AZ on April 19, 1997 at the age of 100. 

His remains were returned to Kingwood for burial beside his wife in the Kingwood Odd Fellows Cemetery, where they rest for eternity along with their infant son and great-granddaughter Amanda Joy Hall. 

Forrest is mentioned and discussed in the 2011 book, Well At This Time: the Civil War Diaries and Army Convalescence Saga of Farmboy Ephraim Miner. The book is authored by the founder of this website. [More] 

~ Daughter Rosalyn W. (Hall) Speicher ~

Daughter Rosalyn W. Hall (1899-1985) was born in March 1899. 

From 1920-1930, she was a teacher in the public schools of Upper Turkeyfoot Township, Somerset County. 

On July 28, 1929, Rosalyn married Ralph Clifton Speicher ( ? - ? ), son of Jonas and Rosa (Nicholson) Speicher. At the time of marriage, she was age 30, and he was 28. Ralph was a native of Harnedsville, Somerset County, but at the time was working as an electrician in East Orange, NJ. Rev. J.F. Messenger performed the nuptials in Somerset. 

Rosalyn relocated to East Orange and was there in 1934. She is known to have visited her parents in Kingwood in August 1934.

The Speichers bore one daughter, Miriam Banfield.

In time the Speichers moved within New Jersey to Union (circa 1947-1967) and Wayside.

Rosalyn died on June 9, 1985. Burial was in Hollywood Memorial Park. In an obituary in the Somerset Daily American, the family asked that any memorial donations be made to Niños de Mexico (Children's Home) in Union, MO.

Daughter Miriam Speicher ( ? - ? ) married (?) Banfield. The children born to this union were Karen Banfield, Kenneth Banfield and Kathryn Banfield.

• Granddaughter Karen Banfield

• Grandson Kenneth Banfield

• Granddaughter Kathryn Banfield

~ Daughter Miriam Kathryn (Hall) Kincaid ~

Daughter Miriam K. Hall (1908-2000) was born on Sept. 27, 1908 in Upper Turkeyfoot Township, Somerset County.

At the age of 21, in 1929, she graduated California (PA) Normal School.

She wedded George Gorman Kincaid ( ? -1984).

The couple's brood of three children included Mary I. Kincaid, Ralph H. Kincaid and Carol J. Clay.

Somerset County Memorial Park

They resided in Rockwood in 1967. Miriam was a member of the First Christian Church of Somerset.

George succumbed to death on June 14, 1984.

Having lived a long life, Miriam was gathered in by the Angel of Death at the age of 91 on April 10, 2000. An obituary was printed in the Somerset Daily American. Co-officiating at her funeral were Pastor Daniel F. Nicksich and Rev. William Sleasman, with interment following in Somerset County Memorial Park.

Daughter Mary I. Kincaid ( ? - ? ) was unmarried and resided in Pittsburgh in 2000.

Son Ralph H. Kincaid ( ? - ? ) wedded Doris Meyers ( ? - ? ). Their home circa 2000 was in Rockwood, Somerset County.

Daughter Carol J. Kincaid ( ? - ? ) was united in matrimony with Marlin Clay ( ? - ? ). They put down roots in Mars, Butler County, PA.